Saturday, December 5, 2009

Atmospheric carbon dioxide currently stands at about 387 parts per million. Scientists, including the head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and James Hansen of NASA, have called on world leaders to reduce that level to 350 parts per million. Doing so will require the United States to cut its greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent or more below 1990 levels by 2020.

Studies have concluded that 35 percent of species could be committed to extinction by 2050 if current emissions trajectories continue. But many of these extinctions can be prevented if greenhouse gas emissions are cut.

In celebration of the International Day of Climate Action on October 24, we need you to help us take action to save these species and the thousands of others at risk from runaway climate change.

With President Barack Obama preparing for international climate negotiations in Copenhagen this December, the time to act is now.

Please sign our petition urging President Obama to follow the science and support a 350 ppm goal for any legislation or negotiated international agreement.

Lonesome George

Every now and then George closes his eyes for a few centuries the stars stop for the occasion and the sun goes out, his night lit only by dream...

"Hello, big boy," she says, shell new and lustrous, green as the deep sea; and her eyes deep as the dark gems that glow deep where it roots...

George, lifting his nose skyward still seeing her behind his closed eyes moves forwardslow as lava oozing from the bottom of the sea

His scaled feet arch like trees first planted then pulled up from their roots...

"I'm coming," he says.

Written by, Steve Campbell

"Lonesome George" is the name given by biologists to the last surviving male Giant Galapagos Tortoise. There are no surviving females.

The entire Giant Galapagos Tortoise species was destroyed directly by humans. The tortoise's shells were used to make tourist trinkets. The shell is part of the tortoise's body (like turtles). Without their shell, they die much like a human having their skin removed (I imagine, equally as painful).

The animal was usually still alive when it's 'soft' body was cruelly cut out from it's shell. In countries like China, and the Island of Bali, this brutal and unethical practice of live tortoise/turtle slaughter continues.

George is approximately 90 years old. In 2008, great efforts were made to help George produce offspring by fertilizing eggs of a 'close' relative species. Sadly, the experiment failed.

George is the rarest known creature in the world and... the loneliest.